16. To Fortify A Farm

I'm back after a not too long break, especially after seeing some that other authors take. Although they usually do it when they don't have the same enthusiasm to write or because there simply too busy to, I'm neither quite yet, got around 2-3 weeks before I will be. I've been excited to write and start season 2, although fair warning there'll be a lot more breaks between chapters just to prevent burnout and because I wanna space out the story.

With that said, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

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"Steer clear and don't stray from the path. You have a different job now," A distorted, sagely voice ordered, completely buffered and incohesive.

There nothing else, yet again he was missing a large spot of the memory, all of it coming out as blurry shifting him to a different locale, one he did actually recognize.

The forest, filled with a dreadful downpour, thunder roaring amongst the roaring leave, rustling about as if the trees they were clinging to was about to be ripped straight from its roots. He had to persist though, his mind could see nothing but the goal ahead, he had to do it.

After all, what else was there for him.

Stepping onto a loose stone off the descended hill below him, losing his footing and plummeting into the mudslide below, everything else seeming to fizzle out.

Leo awoke in a cold sweat, composing himself as to not wake the snoring Anne opposite the basement; that was certainly a fact he'd made sure he never accidently let slip, he had that kind of decency at least.

He'd had the dream again, with the same fragments. He couldn't peace together any of it, all of it was still way too cryptic for him to get a clear picture of who he was.

If anything, it just made all the more confusing.

Taking the slightly nipped and bent katana from his bedside, Leo stared at his own reflection despite the darkness of the room, he could make out his piercing red eyes; his most defining feature, invoking the same kind of look that Anne had back at Toad Tower.

Only she'd managed to crumble it just from the weight of her feet.

His white hair irked a worse look from him, he almost looked dead, even if he technically had been...or close to it anyway, ever since the battle from just a few days back, he'd been taking notice of how he looked more and more.

He wanted more than anything to remember why he looked how he did, maybe then...it would all make sense.

Anne felt the sunlight peak its way through the single carved out window on the other end of the basement, only three single warped sticks that gave it the image of an opening to the outside casting a shadow from the rays.

Grunting to herself, she forced herself out from the comfortable blanket that she'd cocooned herself within, rising her head from the plump if not worn pillow she'd been provided by the Plantars.

Adjusting to the light mixing into the original dullness of the moss-covered dwellings, Anne gazed at Leo. Sleeping so soundly to the point that you could only him breathing if you were to press your ears close-up to his mouth.

Even though he was directly under the window, he hadn't been fazed by the sun burning down onto him and the much less sporadic posture compared to her own. Made sense really, seeing Leo in some kind of wild sleeping position would be nothing more than strange.

Listening to what she could outside, Anne felt somewhat at peace. Dragonflies were buzzing high up the sky; barbaric creatures of all kinds were lurking around the forest that encompassed the household she was currently living in.

That was right, today was the day. It was finally spring.

All of a sudden, Leo groggily arose from the makeshift bed he had been sleeping on for the better half of three weeks, an empty, discouraged look on his face, clearly not happy with the fact he was now awake.

Anne couldn't help but laugh at the state he was in – it was an interesting factoid to learn that Leo was in fact not a morning person, he would wake up sure but it didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

"Why're we awake, is it time to get up?" Leo asked the obvious, blurringly looking around, it would be a couple more minutes before he'd be awake and back to normal.

Still, it wasn't as if Anne wasn't going to enjoy the rare cute and childish side, she'd never see from him.

Speaking of a side she'd never seen from people, Anne remembered a very distinctive fact that she probably shouldn't have forgotten in the first place.

Toad Tower.

Everything with Sasha, what her once best friend had done and the harsh words they'd exchanged with each other. Oh, and who could forget the brief moment she was able to glow blue and destroy and entire tower.

Thinking back on it, Anne unknowingly flickered her eyes blue for a moment, shaking the thought off for now, that was too much to unpack, she could think for hours on how wayward that night had gone.

She had Leo, Sprig, Polly and Hop Pop all there for her, and today was finally the day they'd been venturing outside of the valley, since the mountains had opened up after a two month wait. Hop Pop had been preparing for it the past few days, and it was now time for her to possible find a way home.

Right on cue, there was a sound of footsteps before the hatch to the basement was opened up, "Hello, are both you up? Got something to show yah!"

Leo shook himself awake and was following after the older frog before Anne could react, the bushy haired girl collecting herself and hurrying up the stairs and quickly outside, where Sprig and Polly were already waiting.

"Anne! Look what Hop Pop got for a journey out of the valley!" Sprig exclaimed in his classic high-pitched voice, ecstatic beyond belief.

"Leo what do you-"

"Meh..." The pink frog could get nothing else out before Leo interrupted him, still rubbing his eyes. Most of them already understood it meant he just hadn't woken up yet.

Anne was actually interested in the RV type of Amphibia styled vehicle Bessie was riding in on, she couldn't help but wonder how expensive something like this was, given it's fine-crafted look. It wasn't as if Hop Pop had spare change to put into something like this.

"How'd you afford this Hop Pop?" Of course, Leo was the one to burst any kind of situation that she was trying to step around, now no longer looking as if he were five seconds from slumping over.

"Oh, it was super cheap, Loggle says that the previous owner got so sick of each other that they murdered each other right inside!" He responded cheerily, ignorant to the horrific explanation he'd just given.

"But yeah, I think I'll call it the f'wagon!" Hop Pop added without a second thought.

Anne dropped her brows at the name, typical for the older frog to come up with a cheesy name like that, especially one in which two frogs had killed one another.

Leo on the other hand, saw no problem with it, finding it a funny play on words. Although, he wasn't planning on revealing that fact to Anne any time soon.

Only then did he remember the exact reason Hop Pop had bought the f'wagon, he'd only mentioned it every waking minute of the week. They were setting off for Newtopia, the main kingdom in Amphibia and the best chance Anne had of getting home.

What there was for him, he'd just have to wait and see.

"Oh, by the way Anne, Leo either one of yah it doesn't matter. Could you give Chuck this spare key when he swings by," Hopediah briefed, handing them a much well-kept together key then the actually one he used.

'Most frogs probably don't want to look after this farm huh...' Anne thought a little pessimistically, blaming it on Leo's influence.

As the Plantar family went off to pack their needed belonging for the long trip ahead; the full weight of what they were all risking had finally set in for Anne.

She already felt bad for the perilous and slightly traumatic situation she'd put them in at Toad Tower and she didn't even want to think about that. Yet, they were risking their entire farm and well-being just to find a way for her to get home.

It all made her feel a little guilty.

Over the hillside, a taxi styled snail rode in, atop of it was a muscular frog who even Leo took notice of, "...That's who looking after the house, think I'd remember meeting this guy though.."

Anne was starstruck, relieved that there would be no worry towards who was watching the house while they were away.

That was until the doors opened, revealing a much smaller and frailer looking frog, "I grow tulips," Was all Chuck said as he stepped out, tipping his hat to the two of them, "This is Chuck...is it bad that I was expecting more?"

Anne shook her head at Leo's words, "Agreed, how is this guy supposed to look after the house, we have to do something about this Leo!" She declared, wrestling with his shoulders as he was thrown back and forth.

The white-haired boy could feel his still healing wounds about to open up, the last thing he wanted to do was worry Anne again, he knew what that had led to, "Like what," Leo said gravely, hoping he got his message across for her to stop.

"Hey Chuck, looks like we won't need you after all. Me and Leo are gonna make sure this farm is completely disaster proof!"

Chuck half-nodded before collapsing where he stood, covered head-to-toe in bee stings, "On second thought, maybe just stay there for a little while Chuck.." Leo decided, resting the swollen frog down.

"So..." Leo turned to Anne, who was already atop Bessie, "..What are we getting."

"Supplies. As much as we can!"

Having collected all of that they needed to protect the house, Leo and Anne made their way over to Loggle's wood shop, where there was now a newly placed statue of himself now jacked at the front door.

It was something that greatly disturbed almost everyone in Wartwood, heck if you were lucky, well more likely unlucky, you might've even seen a buffed-up version of yourself.

Today it had been reserved for Loggle himself.

Leo strolled in, carrying the large bag of essential items they'd need, "Oh, hey you two. I'd take it your disaster proofing the farm?"

"How did you..?"

"Lucky guess," The Axolotl shrugged, going make to his work, "Anyway what brings you two by?"

"We bought all the supplies we need, with Hop Pop's wallet to boot! But, we have nothing for the crops. The very heart and soul of a farm!" Anne announced, tightly clenching her fist, "So, you got anything."

"Overdoing it," Leo murmured.

Stopping what he was doing, Loggle entered his own backroom; somehow carrying a barrel of an oozing green liquid with him, dropping it down in front of them, "This won't just protect your crops, it'll awaken something within them-"

"Thanks, we'll take it!" Anne cut him off, agreeing without a second thought.

Leo suspiciously lifted the barrel open, staring at the bubbling green slime inside, swearing that it was alive, squirming about and reaching for him. Slamming it shut out of fear for his face, he turned to voice his concerns towards Anne, but she was already hauling it out of the shop, the coppers already on the counter.

So, with his usual worries he watched Anne begin to roll the barrel outside of the shop.

"Hey Loggle," Leo turned plainly, pulling his katana out and placing it on the countertop, "I was wondering if you could fix this, it got a little damaged due to circumstances..."

He purposely ignored the subject of his fight with Sasha, although Loggle didn't do a good job of being subtle, now Leo knew how the others around him felt, "Right, we all thought you were dead!"

Anne jerked back, swearing that she could feel the color shift in her eyes, "Anyway. Judging by how it looks, I can..."

Leo didn't hold his breath, he knew how Loggle's schtick went by now, "..In fact fix your sword."

"Wait really!" Leo raised his voice, actually showing some enthusiasm on the topic, "Also, don't do that again, something about it didn't feel right."

"Agreed. If you leave it here, then I can have it fixed before you leave," Loggle explained, pulling his glasses back over his eyes and getting to work.

On the way back home, Leo had managed to catch up with Anne; who was clearly walking ahead of him, the two of them didn't have much to talk about given their current mindset, but Leo still hadn't shaken his thoughts on what had happened, wondering if Anne was the same, "Hey Anne, do you...want to talk about it? Sasha and Toad Tower I mean."

To be frank, Leo didn't really want to talk about it either, he felt just as bad for being the reason Anne had wigged out, if he had just managed to beat her in the first place then maybe the building wouldn't have ended up being levelled.

His expectations were proven right as Anne vehemently denied the topic, "No. Everything's fine, me and Sasha said some things you got seriously injured and I brought a building to it's knees. There's absolutely nothing to talk about," Anne brushed off, branching distance between them again.

Leo sighed as she did, if neither one of them wanted to talk about it than that was fine with him.

He didn't want to get in the way, he'd done that and look at where it got him.

After a thorough construction process, the two humans took a step back to admire their work. Having covered the entire roof in spikes to ward off any wing infested creatures. Placing traps a plenty across the floor, making it near impossible for any monsters from the forest to crawl out towards the farm.

Safe to say, Leo was actually somewhat impressed with their work, any kind of force that tried to make its way at the Plantar family home wouldn't even get the chance to.

All that was left was the weird substance they'd picked up from Loggle. Leo could only inspect it for a moment before it was spilt out beside him, completely drowning the crops in an off-putting green hue, even Anne cringed at her own actions.

"This might be bad," Leo stated, his worries yet again going unheard.

Was there even any point in being the voice of reason.

They could do nothing more about it as Hop Pop, Polly and Sprig opened the front door, all packed and ready to go, "Alright, let's get set up and then we'll get going!" Hopediah said, impressed by the work that he assumed Chuck had been up to.

"Sprig, buddy, are you ok?" Anne queried, seeing as her best friend looked as if he'd been up for the past few weeks, differing from how he'd been that morning.

With a disheveled, dead look in his bloodshot eyes, Sprig replied, "..Yes fine, why do you ask?"

"Polly, what did you do?" Leo questioned, catching the devious smirk she had on her face, "Oh, just a joke between siblings.." She smarmily responded.

He could only shake his head to her before the ground shook beneath his feet, the patch of fruit and vegetable beginning to move on their own, sprouting a multitude of limbs and other organs emerging from under the soil.

The several vegetable/monster hybrids merged together, growing bigger and bigger in size until they were towering over not only Anne and the others but the home that she and Leo had spent so much time trying to defend.

It was a kaiju-sized monster, roaring out towards them as its spiny body was formed with an array of different crops, finally manifesting with its own horned carrottop head.

None of the Plantars got a moment to defend themselves as a fist punched all three of them away. Anne readied her broadsword and racket, prepared to fight.

"Anne, make sure that thing doesn't go near the house. This time I'll make sure I settle it," Leo steeled himself, his red eyes deathly serious charging forward without any other thoughts or words.

He avoided two of the creature's large strike, making do with beetle scythe that he usually used to tend to the crops, snipping away at its back heel's, knocking it off balance a little.

Seizing the opportunity, Leo grinded the weapon into the wailing beast's back leg, climbing his way up it's back, maneuvering around the swarming vines constantly grabbing at him, trying to pluck him off as if her were some kind of mosquito.

"Leo! What are you doing, you can't just fight it by yourself!" Anne shouted from below, about ready to attack the creature as well.

"I have to!" Leo shouted back, a rare notion for him, "Back then...at Toad Tower, I couldn't even fight Sasha, I caused everyone trouble and almost died! I can't do that again; I won't lose, not again!"

Losing his cool, he was blind to carrots protruding from the vegetables back, throwing him off as he lost his grip around the scythe about to slam back onto the ground.

Anne jumped catching him before he could, the two of them rolling out back in front of the monster, who was already raising his fist in defiance of whatever they were trying, "Anne, just let me do this. I don't want see you go crazy like you said, if I hadn't lost to Sasha then maybe it wouldn't have happened.."

"And I can't just go watching you fight a giant vegetable abomination by yourself. Do you think I wanted to see you like that back at the tower. I probably got all superpowered up because I wanted to protect you.."

Leo paused, staring up at the still shrilling creature, "Fine." He returned to his usual monotone voice, "I only got in the way of Sasha because I wanted to protect you.."

Although she was a little red at what both of them had said, Anne stood up anyway, "Guess we'll just have to do it for each other, this thing already ruined most of the farm, so let's deal with it."

"Understood."

Leo stared in wonder as Anne let out her own battle cry, actually startling the beast for a moment. He followed in pursuit of her, travelling up the opposite arm of it, avoiding the swarm of roots trying to swipe at his leg.

Both of them continued their ascent up to the oozing mass of produce they had created, swiping their weapons across its arm as they met at his face – Leo matched eyes with Anne the two reeling their arms back and stabbing both sword and scythe into the monster's eyes, taking it to the floor.

Once the dust settled, Leo and Anne stepped forward, having properly dealt with this creature, now nothing more than a pile of mushy vegetables.

"Anne!" Sprig yelled, leaping onto his best friend's face, "That was amazing, you and Leo both were!"

"Yeah, you taught that thing the business!" Polly said proudly.

Anne glanced back to the partially destroyed house and the farms that was now in ruins, "But we almost destroyed the house, all because I poured those chemicals over the crops.."

"You did what!?" Hop Pop exclaimed.

"Me and Anne, well mainly Anne I honestly just agreed with her sentiment. We wanted to make sure the house was safe because you're going out of your way to leave it behind.." Leo explained, albeit a little sheepishly.

"Man, you two sure are dense, Leo's been rubbing off on you Anne," Polly spoke harshly, not holding back.

Hop Pop shushed the pollywog quiet, "What Polly was meant to say was that we're not just taking this trip for you, it's with you. It's just as much for you as it is for us."

"Exactly, we're with you all the way to Newtopia!"

"Wait, what about the house we can't just leave it like thi- What the!?" Anne stopped herself at the sight of Chuck standing at the door of the house, everything back to the way it was.

"..That's not humanly possible," Leo stood dumbfounded, to aghast to speak.

Hop Pop hopped onto the top of the f'wagon readying Bessie's reins, "I mean. Why do you think I got him to look after the house in the first place."

"So, I was worried for no reason," Anne sagged a little upon the realization.

Across from her, Leo stood with crossed arms, pondering on what could possibly be awaiting him in the city, ancient newts of all kinds could be found in the beating heart of Amphibia. Maybe they could tell him who he was or hopefully get his memories back.

Easing his worries, Anne placed a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry Leo, no matter what it takes we'll get your memories back, I guarantee it!"

"Thanks, Anne."

"Alright. Now that both of you have finished your speech on how to protect each other, then get on the f'wagon so we can get moving!"

Anne flashed red, hiding her own embarrassed face as she nudged past Leo, who was looking unfazed by his words, as usual, "Leo, you coming?"

"W-What, yeah.."

Watching him rush into the f'wagon without another word, Anne felt a strange sensation crawl up her chest, she didn't think she'd ever see the day when Leo got embarrassed, even it was only by a little.

'I'll make sure we get Leo's memories back, find Marcy and get us all back home..'

And Sasha, she wasn't sure what she'd say to her when they would eventually see each other again, could she forgive her. Not just for what she'd done a few days prior, but throughout their entire friendship.

Heck. She was the reason that Anne stole the box and got them stuck here in the first place.

Sucking up her own anxiety, the Thai girl got onto the wagon and sat herself down, "Hey Leo...if you don't mind, can we...talk about what happened at Toad Tower. There are just some things I want to get off my chest."

Leo nodded without so much as a second thought, "Sure. We've got a long trip ahead of us," he said sarcastically, getting him a light punch from Anne.

"Alright kids! There's no turning back now!" Hop Pop announced started the trek outside the valley

"Wait, me and Leo didn't even get to pack!" Anne warned.

"And I haven't picked my sword up from Loggle," Leo stated plainly.

"We're turning back now."

...

I hope you enjoyed, took a small break from writing but wanted to come back to write the opening to season 2. As stated at the beginning, there'll be much longer spaces between chapters, honestly like both season of Amphibia. With season 1 being released fairly quickly and season 2 taking it a bit more slow.

Anyway, got a nice little original section planned in a few chapters, all I'll say is Leo has a unfortunate reunion with someone, until then see yah!